Folding confessional



' (No Model?) I 7 2 Sheets -Shset 1. G. A.. PIRNSTEIN. FOLDING GDNPESSIONAL. No. 490,873. Patented Jan. 31 1893.

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G. A. FIRNSTEIN. FOLDING GONFESSIONAL.

Patented Jan. 31, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. FIRNSTEIN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

' FOLDING CONFESSIONAL.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,873, dated January 31, 1893.

Application tiled August 8, 1892- $erial No. 442,397. (No model.)

To all whom. iv may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. FIRNSTEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Oonfessionals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of ecclesiastical furniture known as confessionals for religious use in churches and other sacred edifices, and it consists in the construction,

. arrangement, and operation of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention, showing it as it appears opened out for actual use, the arrows indicating the direction of movement of the several parts (adjacent thereto), in the operation of folding the confessional; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of my confessional, on line 1, 1, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a sectional elevation on line 00, w, of Fig. 2, but showing the several movable parts of the main or middle partition, (the partition or screen proper,) folded back ready for the final folding of the movable partitionsor wing-panels, (the screencloth or covering used on the skeleton-frame of said main partition being attached on the side opposite to that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, in order to more clearly present said skeleton-frame to view;) Fig.4, a plan view of my invention as seen in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a detail, broken, sectionalelevation,showing the kneeling board or stool and its hinge-connection with the lower cross-bar of the said middle or main partition, said kneeling-board being. in its folded position; Fig. 6, a detail, broken section of the partition standard or upright and the upper end of one of the said wingpanels, showing the preferred manner of hinging or pivoting said wing-panel to the standard; and Fig. 7, a detail, broken elevation, showing said middle partition with the bearings thereon for the inner ends of the connecting-bars or hinges of said kneeling-stool.

A represents an upright partition or the screen proper of my confessional, one side of which is occupied by the priest or confessor, and the other side by the penitent.

a represents the usual grating or lattice,

and a and a are short boards or shelves hinged to either side said partition immediately beneath said grating, and forming hand or elbow rests, or for other desired purposes. Both hand-rests a and a are supported in a horizontal position for use, by means of a single swivel-bracket a which is clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, (the latter two being in dotted lines.) This swivel-bracket is preferably cut from the frame-work of the partition, centrally beneath said hand-rests, and turns on a center-bolt or pin a any suitable form, or that shown in said views, being followed in making it, the top thereof being always flat, however, to properly engage the correspondingly flat bottoms of said hand-rests. When the bracket is turned so that it lies flush with the partition, or housed therein, as seen in Fig. 3, then both the hand -rests simultaneously drop on their hinges, (said hinges beingshown in dotted lines Figs. 3 and 4,) and fold closely against the sides of said partition, and, when it is desired to use said rests, both are simultaneously raised on their hinges and the bracket turned outwardly at right angles with said partition, (as seen in Figs. 2 and 4,) thus providing a firm, strong, convenient, and neat support for said handrests, which is not liable to become loose or accidentally detached from place, nor give way under any pressure likely to be imposed on said rests.

B represents the kneeling-stool, comprising a short board connected by bars I), b, with the lower cross-bar A of the partition A, the inner ends of said bars I) being formed into enlarged eyes or heads I), through which pass pins or bolts b the outer end of the latter engaging slotted lugs or cheeks b which form the main parts of boxes embedded and secured in the lower face or bottom of said cross-bar A, as best seen in Figs. 5 and 7. The hinge-connections formed by said eyes 22, pins b and slotted lugs 12 at the inner ends of the stool-bars b, enable said stool to be used and folded at either side said partition, as it may be turned in either direction by its freely traveling along the slots in said lugs.

B, B, represent horizontally swinging-arms which form rests or supports for the stool or board B, the latter, when in use, preferably resting in the shouldered or oifset portions 0 of said arms, (as clearly seen inFig. 2,) so that it shall approach a normally level position, as nearly as it is possible, for the comfort of the user. Arms B are pivoted at their inner, shouldered ends to the lugs c, c, which latter project inwardly from short legs at the bottom of partition A, thus enabling said arms to be swung to either side the partition for the supportof the stool when in use. When said stool. is folded back, out of use, as seen in Figs. 3 and 5, the arms B may be folded flush with said partition, (see Fig. 3,) and when itis desired to swing said arms in either direction, the hand may be readily inserted in the central opening formed by the semicircular notches B made in the free ends of said arms, and said ends grasped for free and easy movement of said arms.

D represents an upright bar or standard firmly attached butt joint fashion to the rear edge of the partition A, it being much broader than the thickness of said partition for the accommodation of the side partitions or wing-panels E and E, which latter are hinged thereto, by means of L- shaped brackets 01 and d, at top and bottom, respectively, of said standard, immediately above and below said partition A and pivots or pins 61 projecting from both the top and bottom of said wingpanels. The pins d engage suitable openings in the horizontal portions of said L- shaped brackets 01 and d, and make substantial, as well as free and easy, hinge-connections for said panels whereby they may be folded up contiguous with said partition. The wing-panels when open, (as seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4t, and 6,) abut the broad standard along part of their outer faces at their rear edges, no vertical openings or cracks being present at the rear of said partition for either peering therethrough or unsightliness; and a button F is employed to firmly hold them open while in use. Said button is cut from the material comprising the partition A at its rear edge, which lies contiguous with the said panels, and may be turned or folded on its pivot-bolt f, flush or housed within the said partition, when the, panels are to be closed or folded against the partition A, and the confessional folded up for putting away, shipping, or otherwise, when not in use.

.The partition A and wing-panels E, E, are each composed of a suitable skeleton-frame covered with cloth or other suitable material, which is stretched and attached in any desired manner, or as shown in the several views.

In Fig. 1, I have shown how the wing-panels may be constructed, the one to the left having an ordinary screen or cloth-covering stretched over its frame, and the one to the right having a curtain hung on rings and wires or poles, either or both of which forms may be adopted to suit the trade or use intended.

It is obvious that the parts herein shown and described maybe folded or unfolded with ease, and when folded occupy but lim1ted space. When set up for use the said parts are substantially and firmly supported without danger of accidental collapsing, displacement, or disengagement.

I claim- 1. A folding-confessional, composed of the main partition or screen proper A,having an upright or standard D attached along its rear edge, and. a pair of laterally disposed wingpanels E, E, the latter being provided at their upper and lower inner corners with vertical pivots or pins d which engage suitable openings in angular or L-shape brackets d and d, secured to said standard immediatelyabove and below, respectively; said partition where by said wing panels are adapted to be folded contiguous with said partition, and when open, presenting no vertical openings or cracks at the rear of said partition substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. In a confessional, a vertical partition or screen proper suitably supported and latticed, and provided with a pair of hinged handrests one at either side said partition, beneath the lattice therein a single swinging-bracket or button a formed from and operating in a corresponding opening within the frame of said partition so as to project laterally and independently from both sides said partition beneath said rests to form a single support for both rests acting on both simultaneously, substantially as herein set forth.

3. In a confessional, avertical partition or screen proper A, suitably supported and latticed, and provided with a folding kneelingstool comprising a board having connectingbars which project inwardly therefrom intermediate its ends and are adjustably hinged at their inner ends by means of pivots Z2 engaging or traveling in slottedlugs or cheeks 29 attached to the lower cross-bar of said partition, and suitable supporting devices for said stool, substantially as herein set forth.

4. In afolding-confessional,amain upright partition or screen proper A suitably supported and latticed, and provided with a kneelingstool hinged by means of the intermediate connecting-bars b, b, and pivots b the latter engaging and traveling in slotted-lugs b on the lower cross-bar of said partition, and a pair of horizontally swinging arms or legblocks B, the latter being hinged at their inner ends, one at either end the opening at the bottom of said partition, and adapted to support said kneeling-stool at both its ends, in a horizontal position, at either side said partition as occasion may require, substantially as herein set forth.

5. In a folding-confessional, the combination with the main partition orscreen proper A having an upright supporting-standard D attached alongits rear edge, and wing-panels E, E, the latter being hinged to said standard by means of L-shape brackets d and d at top and bottom, respectively, of said standits normal position folded flush with the partition, adapting the said wing-panels to be folded and to lie in close contact with the main I partition, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and described.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

' GEORGE A; FIRNSTEIN Witnesses:

JOHN E. JONES, 0.13. DONALDSON. 

